PAU's rock & roll hall of fame expansion breaks ground in cleveland

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame expansion by pau begins in cleveland

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 4,645 sqm expansion broke ground on Thursday, October 5th, in Cleveland. Designed by Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU), the project builds upon Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei’s original 1995 glass pyramid design while nearly doubling the museum’s size and maintaining its identity as a Cleveland landmark.

The new expansion reinterprets Pei’s organization of solid shapes’ dancing’ around a central transparent pyramid, revealing a triangular-shaped building that interlocks with and extends outward from the original glass structure. Specific programmatic elements are articulated as solid shapes asymmetrically arranged under a tilted triangular roof. Clad in black steel and specular granite, the facade evokes Cleveland’s industrial past while representing a contemporary counterpoint to Pei’s design.

aerial view of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame addition | rendering © PAU

building upon I.M. Pei’s 1995 glass pyramid with flexible programs

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame addition by PAU (see more here) sets a new tone for the visitor experience while responding functionally, operationally, and aesthetically to the existing pyramid. Where the two structures converge, a large publicly accessible interior atrium welcomes visitors, drawing in passersby with circulation pathways that seamlessly connect the street to an exterior lake promenade. In addition to functioning as an urban pedestrian link, the structure will encompass a double-height, 1,350-person multipurpose venue spanning over 6,000 sqm, exhibition and retail spaces, and offices, classrooms, and back-of-house spaces. Together, these programs provide significantly increased flexibility for larger showcases and events.

By weaving indoor and outdoor public and programmatic spaces, the museum design ‘will expand the Rock Hall’s iconic structure to meet the demands of its evolving mandate: to showcase the past, present, and future of rock & roll as the defining sound of each generation’s youth,’ shares Vishaan Chakrabarti, Founder and Creative Director of PAU.